Ending Iraq's demonstrations won't solve Sunni crisis
The Sunni demonstrations may not last much longer, but their end will not mean that Iraq’s sectarian problems have been addressed.
It's not easy to establish a road map for any crisis, especially in a country as complex as Iraq. This applies to most challenges faced by Iraq in the past 10 years, including the Sunni demonstrations that launched in December 2012.
The demonstrations, which began with arrest warrants on charges of terrorism for some security staffers working for Iraqi Finance Minister Rafie al-Issawi, have changed their goals more than once. They raise some general slogans that continuously escalate before being diffused.
While the demonstrations were in tumult and expanding, those responsible for them failed to produce leaders capable of holding direct negotiations with the government, until the government the matter ended by delegating Anbar’s provincial government with that task, then withdrawing that mandate a few weeks later.
Iraqi political parties have taken advantage of the demonstrations for a full year to implement certain policies. Some parties bargained on behalf of the Sunni demonstrations for personal gains. Other parties tried to use the demonstrations to intimidate the public and showcase their radicalism in the hope of winning votes.
